No, Jeff Pearce has not suddenly switched from guitar to piano. I heard some samples from Lingering Light and fell in love with the music, so I’m the one who has temporarily jumped ship! When I did CD reviews for the print version of Wind and Wire, Jeff’s name came up all the time as one of the foremost artists in the ambient genre, but since I did mostly piano and keyboard reviews, I never had the chance to hear his music. I’m kicking myself for that now, as this is some amazing music. Known as a guitar innovator for quite a number of years, Pearce composed and recorded the music for Lingering Light exclusively on the Chapman Stick, an electric guitar-like instrument that is kind of a bridge between guitar and keyboard. The instrument has ten strings, and the strings are usually tapped. The playing position is different from a guitar, and both hands play the strings, allowing the player to play melody and accompaniment. The range is about 5 1/4 octaves. In Pearce’s hands, the sound is ethereal and sooooooo relaxing. This is truly one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard in a very long time. A bit on the melancholy side, the music is leisurely, open, and deeply emotional. The quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson in the liner notes really says it all: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” All twelve tracks are gorgeous and create a mood of peaceful reflection. Give your ears, mind, and soul a real treat and check this out. Lingering Light is available from amazon.com and cdbaby.com. Very highly recommended!